Moral Week of Action at NC Capitol

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

August 19, 2014

 

Contact: Sarah Bufkin, NC NAACP - smbufkin@gmail.com or 404.285.3413

 

 

The North Carolina NAACP and the Forward Together Movement to Announce Moral Week of Action at NC Capitol Wednesday before Clergy Deliver Letter to State Leadership

 

 

Tomorrow, Wednesday, Aug. 20

2 pm

North Carolina State Capitol - Front steps

1 E. Edenton St, Raleigh, NC 

 

 

RALEIGH - Standing alongside justice-loving coalitions across the South and the nation, the North Carolina NAACP and the Forward Together Moral Movement are mobilizing for a Moral Week of Action at the end of August to challenge the regressive policies coming out of the General Assembly. Instead of using its short session to repeal and remedy the devastating laws passed last summer, the state legislative leadership made the situation worse this session.

 

To discuss their plans for moral actions at the NC state capitol, the NC NAACP and clergy members will hold a press conference at 2 pm on tomorrow, Aug. 20 on the capitol steps. After the conference, the clergy will deliver a letter to Gov. Pat McCrory, Speaker Thom Tillis and Senate Leader Phil Berger calling for decisive action to govern for the good of the whole rather than for the privileges of the few.

 

For seven consecutive days from Aug. 22 to Aug. 27, North Carolinians in the Forward Together Moral Movement will gather outside the offices of power to demand that state lawmakers repent for the harm they've caused North Carolinians, repeal their devastating public policies and restore their commitment to work for the common good.

 

Likewise, other states will be organizing similar actions on some or all of the days to mobilize people to challenge the extreme legislative agendas that are hurting the most vulnerable communities. Each day will lift up certain urgent issues while still recognizing the inherent connections between all social justice struggles and movements.

 

"These attacks we are seeing on the poor, working families, people of color, women and children, the elderly, immigrants and the undocumented, public school teachers and staff, other marginalized groups and on voting rights are unprecedented in modern times," said Rev. Dr. William J. Barber, II, president of the North Carolina NAACP. "For more than 67 weeks of Moral Monday actions, our fusion coalition in North Carolina has challenged this regressive public policy agenda that does not hold up to our deepest moral values and constitutional principles. But this is not merely a North Carolina issue; other states must build their own fusion movements to combat extremism in their legislatures as well. During this week of action, we will stand in solidarity with people across the South to raise our moral critique and to mobilize citizens to engage in the struggle for their future."

 

The issues that these Moral Weeks of Action will emphasize are:

• Friday, 8.22 - Labor Rights, Fair and Living Wages, and Economic Justice
• Saturday, 8.23 - Education and Criminal Justice
• Sunday, 8.24 - Equal Protection under the Law: Call for Respect in the Law and in the Community regardless of race, creed, class, gender, sexual orientation and immigration status
• Monday, 8.25 - Youth Moral Monday
• Tuesday, 8.26 - Women's Rights
• Wednesday, 8.27 - Medicaid Expansion, Health Care and Environmental Justice
• Thursday, 8.28 - Vote Your Dreams, Not Your Fears: Mass Rally for Voting Rights

 

WHO:             North Carolina NAACP and the Forward Together Moral Movement

 

WHAT:          Media conference & letter delivery

WHEN:          Wednesday, August 20 at 2 pm EST

WHERE:       NC State Capitol - Front Steps

                        1 E. Edenton St, Raleigh, NC

 

 

 

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